


Safe Again

by Groot_the_tree



Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Everyone Needs A Hug, Fluff, Hurt Stephen Strange, Light Angst, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Protective Pepper Potts, Stephen needs a hug, To An Extent, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-28
Updated: 2019-07-28
Packaged: 2020-07-23 10:09:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20006584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Groot_the_tree/pseuds/Groot_the_tree
Summary: Stephen's first time in a car again after the accident. Tony and Pepper are there and try to help him overcome his fears.





	Safe Again

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know what this is but here it is.

It wasn't that Stephen didn't trust Tony's driving but rather that Tony didn't trust his own driving. He knew how reckless he was and, while he would be more careful with Stephen in the car he knew the chances of him slipping up on accident. Reckless driving was a habit for him, not a good one, he'll admit to that, but a habit nonetheless. And that is why they're sitting the way they are in the car right now. Pepper in the driver's seat, Stephen and Tony in the back.

This was Stephens first time in a car since his accident and he still wasn't entirely sure this was a good idea. Cars terrified him still, there was no way he was going to drive, even though he was asked. 

Leading up to this he had done a lot of research about the safest seats in vehicles, learning that it was the backseat where he now sat. Tony had seen him climb into the backseat and followed, there was no way he was going to leave him alone back there for this.

When they begin to move they go slow. Research had been done to find out a road with little to no traffic so they didn't have to worry about that and with no destination in mind beyond how far Stephen to handle they were off.

Pepper starts off never topping 20mph, sure to keep both eyes on the road and listening for any signs of distress from the back seat. As time goes on she slowly begins to drive a little faster, sure to stay well under the speed limit. She never manages to go over 40mph on the straight stretch of practically empty highway they were on. 

Tony, in the back seat with a tense and terrified Stephen, was keeping his eyes on him, worried and hoping he other didn't get any worse. He was already shaking more than normal and his hands were gripping Tony's tighter than he knew Stephen was capable, he knew it must hurt, or certainly would once he relaxed, there was no way it wouldn't. 

To start with Stephen kept his eyes shut tightly, refusing to open them, though he soon found that driving without seeing where they were and if there was anything else on the road was more terrifying than not knowing. His mind was racing to the last time he was in a car, all he lost, the pain, the terror through him. He didn't want that again and he didn't want that for pepper or tony either. He wanted all three of them back in the apartment safe but he also knew that this was one fear he needed to conquer.

After about ten minutes he decided he couldn't take anymore and tells Pepper to stop. As soon as the car stops moving beside the road he's out and trying to catch his breath, assuring himself that they're okay and all there. Nothing bad had happened.

A short discussion was had where it was decided it would be best if Stephen and one of the others teleport back to the apartment while the other drives back. Stephen and Pepper go, leaving Tony with the car.

*

Once they were back in the apartment Pepper took Stephen into their bedroom and sat with him, a hand on his arm was the only point of contact, trying to ground him without touching too much knowing that neither of her boys liked that. Something about not deserving it or something, she never understood it anyway.

“You done so well.” She tells him softly, “I know it was terrifying for you but you managed to last quite a while. You’ve improved so much from last time.” She says, the time before he had had a panic attack before even managing to get in the car. This time they were better prepared, knowing what may end up happening and giving Stephen more time to ready himself instead of a last minute decision like the last time. 

After her praises, they sit in the quiet for a while, her watching as Stephen slowly calms down and relaxes. The shaking in his hands eventually evening out until the usual level. 

It isn’t long after that that Tony walks in, slowly so he doesn’t startle Stephen or, to a lesser extent, Pepper, as he really didn’t want to do that and make anything worse. A startled Pepper was no one to be messing with and they all knew that.

“How are we doing?” Tony asks softly, once he knows they both know he’s entered the room, another attempt to keep everything calm and not break the atmosphere that had been set by the other two in his absence.

Stephen looks up at him and nods, not wanting to admit how bad that was. Not to Tony at least, for some reason he was always worried about Tony seeing him as weak. Tony who had been through so much and kept fighting. Tony who was anything but weak. Tony who could get into a car and drive without having a panic attack. What Stephen didn’t know was how much Tony understood him, not wanting others to think of him as weak, having his limits and triggers. He knew what Stephen had been through and thought of him as anything but weak. 

Walking over, Tony sat down next to Stephen and takes one of his slightly shaking hands in his own, kissing the back of it lighting, “I understand you know.” He whispers, “And I’m proud of everything you’ve accomplished today.” He assures him softly but no less true, his eyes meeting Stephens and holding them. He leans in and leaves a quick kiss on the other man's lips and, for the first time in what felt like months, though it was only an hour at most, Stephen felt safe again.

**Author's Note:**

> Thoughts on a sequel to this where Stephen tries driving for the first time since the accident?


End file.
